The family of a ‘fit and healthy’ father-of-four who died of asbestos-related cancer after working at a school has won £1million in compensation.
Rick Oakes, 67, from York, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in February 2022 and sadly passed away around two years later, on July 4, 2024.
The rare disease, which affects the lining of the organs and is caused by exposure to asbestos, can take years to develop after contact with the toxic building material.
Mr Oakes had encountered the harmful fibres decades prior to his diagnosis, when he was working as a joiner in schools across Kirklees, West Yorkshire.
An inquest ruled
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